


Afternoon Books.

by 3BeesAndCoffee3



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Age Difference, Could Be Read As Romantic Feelings or Platonic, Credence Barebone Gets a Hug, Cuddling, Cute Use of Magic, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Kinda, Like That's The Whole Thing, M/M, Magic, Newt Scamanders book, No Plot/Plotless, Pining, Protective Original Percival Graves, Pure Credence, Reading, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, not that it matters in this, they aren't actually together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-22
Updated: 2018-08-22
Packaged: 2019-07-01 03:40:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15765852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/3BeesAndCoffee3/pseuds/3BeesAndCoffee3
Summary: Tooth rotting fluff. Basically Percival can't refuse Credence, even if he has work to do.





	Afternoon Books.

It’s a secret little thing he gets far too much pleasure from. It’s completely innocent, but watching Credence blush and beam at every praise or gentle touch, it’s addictive. Percival could never even get his cat to rub against his hand or enjoy the attention he would try to give it, so it boosts his ego a little too, but that’s just as harmless. 

Credence is curled up on the couch with Newts recently published book cradled dearly in his thin hands. His eyes are trained on the book, scanning each line with fascinated interest and focus. There’s a mug of tea by his side that has continuously gone cold in his entrancement in the book, which Percival has mindlessly warmed again with a quick swish of his hand.

He’s supposed to be attending to a large stack of papers at his home desk, signing each one, but his attention is wearing thin, his eyes keep going back to Credence. 

Credence looks up and their eyes meet, he has been staring, too long obviously. “Mr. Graves?” Credence asks curiously, looking at him with mild interest. He’s told him to call him Percival a dozen times but it hasn’t stuck with him and he won’t guilt Credence for it any. He just wishes he didn’t make it sound like something so profesional. That’s what people at MUCASA call him, it shouldn’t be what people in his own home call him.

“Sorry, zoned out,” he amends, running a hand through his hair and looking back at his work. He sees Credence sit up a little more in the corner of his vision.

“What’re you working on?” he asks softly, with a carfulness that both warms and breaks Percivals heart. He’s become much more outgoing over the months, asking questions, asking for what he needs. 

“Just signing papers,” he says, which is vague, but he would rather not admit they’re unfinished from the other day he spent home with Credence. He’s sure the only reason Piquery hasn’t come down to his office personally, to question him about his sudden bout of sick and personal days is because Tina Goldstein has a great fondness for Credence, and will keep any secrets between them both till her death.

Credence hums. “Have you read Mister Scamander's book yet?” he asks even though he knows for a fact he hasn’t. 

Percival smiles and glances over his shoulder at him. Credence sinks down in the couch, cheeks going pink, and yep, there it is. “No, are you enjoying it?” 

Credence nods, lips twitching into a tiny smile. “It’s very good.”

Percival truthfully has no interest in the book, but he pretends to think it over. “Maybe I’ll have to read it, hm?”

Credence smiles a little wider and nods again. “You should,” he pauses “You could now?”

Damn him to hell, he can’t resist anything about Credence. He shouldn’t, he should say he can’t, because he does have a lot to do and he can’t afford to get even more behind. This does require his attention too, he can’t just have them all signed off without a second thought, he actually has to read every tedious document. He can’t stand to deny or disappoint Credence, though. “Maybe,” Graves says, almost dismissively, and Credence shrinks. “I suppose I can for a while.”

“Really?” Credence asks softly and quietly. He takes a hold of his mug and it doesn’t even cross his mind that it’s still perfectly warm.

Percival nods and stands, his back aches from sitting at his desk. He isn’t sure when he started feeling so old. “I’ll pick up where you left off, hm?”

Credence lights up, nodding happily as he scoots over to make more room, which wasn’t necessary anyways, he takes up so little room. “I just started a new chapter- on uh, on these,” Credence says, pointing to the neatly illustrated picture of some creature that frankly, Percival wouldn’t have hesitated to pull his wand on. Still, the magical world is still brand new and exciting to Credence, every last bit of it is, so Percival keeps his negative opinions to himself. He doesn’t want to spoil something positive for him. 

“It looks interesting,” he says and whisks a blanket from across the room and cover them both easily once he’s sitting on the couch. Credence smiles and snuggles into the blanket like a cat. He pats the space next to him and Credence only hesitates a second before he moves into Percivals space and cuddles up into his side, resting his head against his arm. It makes Percival grin, glowing with a kind of pride. “Better?”

“Much, thank you Mr. Graves,” he blushes, pressing his face closer against the muscle of his arm.

“Of course,” he says, chuckling. It takes so little to please the boy. 

They start reading in easy peace, what little Percival did read, he found interesting, he would give Newt that. Credence is quiet, eyes a little heavy, but he continues reading. Percival watches Credence with the same focus Credence is giving the book. 

Eventually, he realizes that Credence has actually fallen asleep, his weight heavier against his side and his grasp on the book has gone limp. His cheeks are even a little pink and he looks at ease. He’s nothing like he was when he first arrived, comfortable enough to fall asleep on Graves’ shoulder. He lets him rest, has the papers come to him so he can work at the same time. 

It’s fine, just like this. Credence is at peace and happy, comfortable, and it makes Percival feel at ease, like maybe he’s finally made someone really like him. He chuckles softly at such a ridiculous thought, but Credence makes him feel a protectiveness and lovingness he doesn’t think he’s ever felt before. 

He presses a gentle kiss to the top of Credence’s head and he makes a noise in his throat that sounds too much like his cat, and he snuggles in closer. He can certainly live like this, making Credence happy.


End file.
